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setting-up-distributed-tracing

Execute this skill automates the setup of distributed tracing for microservices. it helps developers implement end-to-end request visibility by configuring context propagation, span creation, trace collection, and analysis. use this skill when the user re... Use when appropriate context detected. Trigger with relevant phrases based on skill purpose.

24

Quality

16%

Does it follow best practices?

Impact

No eval scenarios have been run

SecuritybySnyk

Passed

No known issues

Optimize this skill with Tessl

npx tessl skill review --optimize ./plugins/performance/distributed-tracing-setup/skills/setting-up-distributed-tracing/SKILL.md
SKILL.md
Quality
Evals
Security

Quality

Content

0%

Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.

This skill is essentially a template filled with placeholder text and generic boilerplate. It contains no actionable content whatsoever — no code examples, no configuration snippets, no specific commands, and no concrete implementation guidance for distributed tracing. Every section reads as a description of what a skill *could* do rather than providing the actual instructions Claude needs to execute the task.

Suggestions

Add concrete, executable code examples for OpenTelemetry instrumentation in at least one language (e.g., Python or Node.js), including tracer initialization, span creation, and exporter configuration for Jaeger/Zipkin.

Replace the generic 'Instructions' and 'Output' sections with specific step-by-step workflows that include validation checkpoints (e.g., 'verify traces appear in Jaeger UI at http://localhost:16686').

Remove all boilerplate sections that explain what distributed tracing is or when to use it — Claude already knows this. Focus the content entirely on the specific configuration and code needed.

Add actual configuration file examples (e.g., docker-compose.yml for Jaeger, OpenTelemetry collector config YAML) that are copy-paste ready.

DimensionReasoningScore

Conciseness

The content is extremely verbose and padded with generic filler that Claude already knows. Sections like 'Overview', 'How It Works', 'When to Use This Skill', 'Prerequisites', 'Instructions', 'Output', 'Error Handling', and 'Resources' are all boilerplate with no substantive information. The skill explains concepts Claude understands (what distributed tracing is, what context propagation means) without providing any actual implementation details.

1 / 3

Actionability

There is zero executable code, no concrete commands, no configuration snippets, and no copy-paste ready examples. The 'Examples' section describes what the skill 'will do' in vague terms ('generate code snippets', 'provide configuration examples') but never actually provides any code or configuration. The 'Instructions' section is entirely generic ('Invoke this skill when the trigger conditions are met').

1 / 3

Workflow Clarity

The workflow steps are abstract and non-specific ('Determines the preferred tracing backend', 'Designs an instrumentation strategy', 'Generates the necessary configuration files'). There are no concrete sequences, no validation checkpoints, and no feedback loops. The 'Instructions' section is a generic 4-step placeholder that provides no real guidance.

1 / 3

Progressive Disclosure

The content is a monolithic wall of generic text with no references to supporting files, no bundle files exist, and the sections are poorly organized with redundant information spread across multiple headings that all say essentially the same vague things. There is no meaningful structure that aids navigation or discovery.

1 / 3

Total

4

/

12

Passed

Description

32%

Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.

The description starts with a reasonable domain-specific explanation of distributed tracing setup for microservices, but is severely undermined by truncation and generic boilerplate filler ('Use when appropriate context detected. Trigger with relevant phrases based on skill purpose'). The 'when' guidance is completely absent in any meaningful form, and the description begins awkwardly with 'Execute this skill' which is unnecessary preamble.

Suggestions

Replace the boilerplate 'Use when appropriate context detected. Trigger with relevant phrases based on skill purpose' with explicit trigger guidance, e.g., 'Use when the user asks about distributed tracing, OpenTelemetry setup, request tracing across microservices, or observability instrumentation.'

Complete the truncated portion of the description and remove the 'Execute this skill' prefix—use third person active voice like 'Automates the setup of distributed tracing...'

Add natural user-facing trigger terms such as 'OpenTelemetry', 'Jaeger', 'Zipkin', 'observability', 'trace spans', and 'request tracing' to improve discoverability.

DimensionReasoningScore

Specificity

The description names the domain (distributed tracing for microservices) and lists some actions (configuring context propagation, span creation, trace collection, and analysis), but the truncation ('when the user re...') and generic boilerplate at the end undermine the specificity.

2 / 3

Completeness

The 'what' is partially addressed but truncated, and the 'when' clause is entirely replaced by meaningless boilerplate ('Use when appropriate context detected. Trigger with relevant phrases based on skill purpose'), which provides no explicit trigger guidance whatsoever.

1 / 3

Trigger Term Quality

It includes some relevant keywords like 'distributed tracing', 'microservices', 'context propagation', 'span creation', and 'trace collection', but the boilerplate 'Trigger with relevant phrases based on skill purpose' adds no actual trigger terms, and common user phrases like 'OpenTelemetry', 'Jaeger', 'observability', or 'tracing setup' are missing.

2 / 3

Distinctiveness Conflict Risk

The focus on distributed tracing for microservices is somewhat distinctive, but the generic boilerplate ending and truncated description could cause overlap with general observability or monitoring skills.

2 / 3

Total

7

/

12

Passed

Validation

81%

Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.

Validation9 / 11 Passed

Validation for skill structure

CriteriaDescriptionResult

allowed_tools_field

'allowed-tools' contains unusual tool name(s)

Warning

frontmatter_unknown_keys

Unknown frontmatter key(s) found; consider removing or moving to metadata

Warning

Total

9

/

11

Passed

Repository
jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills
Reviewed

Table of Contents

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